Simnel cake
A traditional Easter cake - with a little twist
Ingredients
- 500 g bag dried mixed fruit
- 150 g glacé ginger
- 6 tablespoons of orange-flavoured liqueur
- Zest of 1 large orange
- 175 g butter softened, plus extra for greasing
- 175 g brown sugar
- 3 pieces of stem ginger finely chopped, plus 1 tablespoon of the syrup
- 3 eggs beaten
- 225 g plain flour
- 1 heaped teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 heaped teaspoons mixed spice
- 500 g marzipan
Instructions
- Mix the dried fruits, ginger and syrup in a bowl with the liqueur and leave to stand for at least 1 hour.
- Grease and line an 18cm cake tin with non-stick baking parchment.
- Preheat the oven to 150°C, gas mark 2.
- Put the butter and sugar into a large bowl and beat well until pale and creamy.
- Gradually beat in the eggs, adding a little of the flour if the mixture starts to curdle.
- Stir in the flour and spices, then the dried fruit mixture with any juices left in the bowl.
- Divide the marzipan into 3.
- Take one third and shape into a ball and roll out onto a surface dusted with icing sugar to an 18cm circle.
- Spoon half the cake mixture into the tin and spread in an even layer.
- Lay the marzipan circle over the cake mixture, pressing it down gently.
- Spoon the remaining cake mixture on top and spread with the back of a spoon.
- Bake for about 2 1/4 - 2 1/2 hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Be careful to check the cake mix, not the marzipan layer, as this will always be sticky.
- Leave to cool completely in the tin.
- Transfer the cooled cake to a baking sheet and brush the top with the ginger syrup.
- Roll out another third of the marzipan as above and press down onto the top of the cake.
- Pinch decoratively around the edges.
- Using the last third of marzipan, make 11 balls, about the size of a mini egg, and arrange them on top, sticking them with a little extra syrup from the jar.
- Heat the surface of the cake under a moderate grill for 1-2 minutes, watching closely, until the marzipan starts to toast.